Electrode holder



. 17, 1946. 1. E. co'rToN ELECTRODE HOLDER Original Filed Oct. l0. 1944INVENTOR. dof-m E. OTTON Patented Dec. 17, M1946 `lohn E. Cotton,Batesville, Miss.

Substitute for-abandoned application Serial No.

557,977, ctober 1I), 1944. This application September 12, 1945,

Serial No. 615,797

4' claims. (ci. 21o-s) This invention relates to holders for weldingrods of that type in which the rod serves as an electrode through whichcurrent is passed in establishing a welding arc.

It particularly relates to an electrode holder through which the rod maybe readily clamped and held at any desired angle to theholder and may beas readily released, as when it is largely used up and it is desired todiscard an unused stub and replace it with an additional rod.

The objects of the invention are:

To provide a holder which is simple in construction and may be readilymanipulated to rmly grip the electrode and establish a current leadthereto and therethrough during welding operations and be as readilyreleased;

To provide such a holder which will effect the gripping of the electrodewith a minimum of effort, and which when it has gripped the electrodewill position it in parallelism with a plane through the axis of thehandle even though at an angle, as is usual, in such plane to the axis.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects are accomplished, andthe method of their accomplishment, will readily be understood from thefollowing specification upon reference to the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the holder showing a fragmentary portionof .an electrode secured between the jaws thereof.

Fig. 2 is a plan of the holder; and

Fig. 3 a longitudinal section taken as on the line III-III of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing in which the various parts are indicated bynumerals:

II is a handle around which is an insulating sleeve I3 which ispreferably secured to the handle as by a screw I5 which may be coveredby an additional insulating ring i1, usually of soft rubber. Adjacentone end of the handle is formed a shoulder I9.

2| is a hand guard or shield which slips over the handle I I and is heldin place against the shoulder I9 by the insulation I3. Extending from.the enlarged por-tion I9 of the handle are side iianges 23, spacedapart vto snugly receive therebetween jaws 25 and 21 which are adaptedwhen closed to clamp against the electrode 29 and hold the electrodermly therebetween.

The jaws 25 and 21 are hingedly secured to the flanges 23, as by pivotpins 3i, 33, respectively, these preferably being bolts which may bereadily removed should it be desired to change the jaws for any reasonand as readily replaced when the jaws are replaced or new onessubstituted.

2 It will be noted that the bolt 33 which secures .the jaw 21 issomewhat closer to the shoulder I9 than is the bolt 3|, effecting anincrease in relative longitudinal movement of the jaws and slowerclosing as iinal clamping occurs.

i The jaw 25 is provided with a shoulder 35 which seats against theshoulder I 9 and limits movement of the jaw about the bolt 3I, thisshoulder being so proportioned that the jaw 25 will extend parallel tothe axis of the handle when the jaws are clamped.

The jaw 21 comprises a resilient member 31, preferably a hat strip ofspring steel to which an underlying block 21A of equal width issecured,v as by rivets 39, the block 21A stiffening the clamping portionof the jaw. An eye 31A is formed at the inner end of the resilientmembery to cooperate with the pivot pin 33 and form the hinge for theupper jaw. The member 31 is preferably bowed downward between the hingeand clamp portions of the jaw.

Ears 1li, preferably parts 0f a U member, are rigidly secured as bywelding on opposite sides of the jaw 25 and extend beyond the jaw 21,These jaws carry a pin 43, preferably a bolt, which journals a roller45. The roller 45 contacts the member 31 and rolls therealong to effectclamping cooperation of the jaw 21 with the jaw 25, or may be shiftedreversely to allow their release, as the case may be.

Current is fed to the holder from a suitable source (not shown) throughthe usual feed wire 41, which is clamped to the jaw 25 as by a clip 49and screw 5I. It will be noted here that the feed wire is directlycoupled to the jaw and that the handle II need not be of metal since nocurrent is carried therethrough. It will be understood, therefore, thatthe handle may be of dielectric material, as Bakelite, and be usedwithout the insulating sleeve I3 which is necessary if the handle bemetal, and that in either event the handle is dielectric.

In use, the jaw portions 25, 21 of the device are broken relatively tothe handle portion II, about the hinge centers 3| and 33, as to thedotted positions 25X, 21X, the roller shifting toward the center 33 tothe position 45X and allowing separation of the jaws to receive theelectrode. With the electrode 29 between the jaws they are forciblyreturned to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the roller moving alongthe member 31 and effecting the clamping. In this clamping action thejaws approach more and more slowly as clamping is effected, grippingforce being limited by the bending strength of the resilient member 37.Closing movement also effects a relative longitudinal movement of thejaws which effects a rolling movement of the electrode if it betransverse to the jaws, or a drawing action therealong if it be alinedwith the jaws, in either case insuring electrical contact of the jawswith the electrode.

This application is a substitute for application Serial No. 557,977, ledOctober l0, 1944, by the same inventor, and now abandoned.

I claim:

l. An electrode holder including an insulating handle, metal jaws spacedapart at, and independently hinged to, one end of said handle andextending longitudinally therefrom, and means establishing a circuitlead to one of said jaws, a first said jaw having rigidly securedthereto intermediate its length a member embracing the second said jaw,said member including a roller contacting the remote side of said secondjaw, said second jaw including a resilient section and a continuingrigid jaw portion and converging from its hinge end toward said rst jawand curving into parallelism-therewith at said member, wherebyseparation of said jaws and release of said electrode may beaccomplished by deection of said jaws.

2. An electrode holder` including an insulating handle, flat, metal jawsspaced apart at, and independently hinged to, one end of said handle andextending longitudinally therefrom, and means establishing a circuitlead to one of said jaws, a rst said jaw having rigidly secured theretointermediate its length a member embracing, and. contacting the remoteside of said second jaw, said second jaw including a resilient sectionand a continuing rigid portion, and converging from its hinge end towardsaid iirst jaw and 4 curving toward parallelism therewith at saidmember, whereby separation of said jaws and release of said electrodemay be accomplished by deflection of said jaws.

3. An electrode holder including an insulating handle, flat metal jawsspaced apart at, and independently hinged to, one end of said handle andextending longitudinally therefrom` and means establishing a circuitlead to one of said jaws, a first said jaw having rigidly securedintermediate its length a member embracing, and contacting the remoteside of said second jaw; said second jaw including a resilient sectionand a continuing rigid portion, converging from its hinge end towardsaid first jaw and curving toward parallelism therewith at said member,whereby separation of said jaws may be accomplished by deflection ofsaid jaws, said iirst jaw having at its hinge end a shoulder cooperatingwith an end portion of said handle to limit return movement about itssaid hinge.

4. An electrode holder, which comprises an insulating handle having apair of spaced anges extending from one end thereof, pins carried bysaid anges and laterally spaced apart, a pair 0f substantially flat,metal jaws, each having an end portion disposed between said flanges andrespectively hinged on said pins, a first of said jaws having rigidlysecured thereto a member embracing and contacting the remote side ofsaid rst jaw, the other of said jaws converging from said hinge pintoward said rst jaw and curving into parallelism therewith at saidmember, whereby separation of said jaws may be accomplished bydeflection thereof and shift of said member, and a circuit lead securedin electrical contact with said jaws.

JOHN E. COTTON.

